EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (GODSBLOOD)

[aionmods]

Sovereign Citizens

GODSBLOOD

At the height of the Sovereign's moon, Vaeka Lovenskol's execution is announced. Outside of the City Hall, a dignitary of Achamoth is flanked by an entourage of Kenoma, reading the words of Regent from an unfurled letter: Vaeka stands accused to conspiring against the Regent and abetting the fugitive menace known as the Pleroma. Though the details are not made public, rumors spread quickly, some far more wild than the actual truth. The full truth, after all, is something only the Regent's agents and the Pleroma themselves know, and even to them the manner of her exposure is unclear.

Though losing a proud daughter of an influential family, there seems to be little that the people of Godsblood can do besides accept it. After all, they are still a city of the Regent's empire, and for all the freedom they've enjoyed, there are limits. If she was truly aiding the Pleroma, the sworn enemies of the Regent - and in an organized manner, if the rumors are to be believed - can they truly object? Or would challenging the Regent's claim simply invite more death?

As with many things, the families of Godsblood are torn. Tensions are thick for the five days leading up to Vaeka's appointed execution by hanging, with everyone having an opinion and few wanting to go on record talking about it too loudly. As such, the people's frustrations come out in other ways. Bloodites are uncharacteristically unfriendly to strangers in this time, keeping to their own and treating everyone else with overt skepticism.

Those that have arrived as part of the Regent's official envoy, or seen guarding Vaeka, will receive a particularly icy reception. No longer are the Kenoma curious wanderers on personal business. Now, they are here as the hands of the Regent; few of the Godsblood citizens are foolish enough to challenge them outright, but they are ever an honest people.

Early on, the Kenoma and the rest of the Achamite contingent sent with them will be able to take over a jail in downtown Godsblood to hold Vaeka until her execution, clearing out all other Bloodite prisoners and employees in the meantime. This means they have a relatively secure position to guard their prisoner from, which is a good thing; after all, the Regent did outright invite the Pleroma to stop them, and Pleroma are nothing if not stubborn.

EXECUTION DAY

After five agonizing days of waiting and several high visible conflicts between the Pleroma and Kenoma, finally the hour of Vaeka's execution arrives. A gallows is set outside of City Hall, ready to welcome its newest victim, and a massive crowd has gathered in an spirit of anxious anticipation. Some worry that violence may break out in the streets, even without the Pleroma's agitation, but gradually the minutes tick by and the gallows remain empty.

First one minutes passes. Then five. Then fifteen. Slowly, it becomes clear to the people of Godsblood that Vaeka will not be arriving. Are the rumors true? Has she been saved? Have the Pleroma been successful, despite all odds?

As the hours pass and the crowds disperse, Vaeka Lovenskol is not officially reported as either living or dead. Fortunately, Godsblood is a place where information has a way of getting around, whether those in charge like it or not. Some are saying that she was seen being whisked away as if by powerful magic, following a bloody fight at the jail in which she was being held. Where did she go? Maybe her supposed connections to the forest people did her good, some surmise.

The days following Vaeka's failed execution carry a strange and uncertain energy. Where before there was tension and distrust, Godsblood now finds itself in a surreal reality where the Regent's word is apparently not absolute. Then again, do they really want a repeat performance?

QUESTIONS

What is the best way for Aions to travel to Godsblood?
For Pleroma, this is very easy, as they are likely to either already live there or be able to easy take Greentruth's portal. For Kenoma, they may come directly from Achamoth by boat as part of the Regent's envoy or arrive via Eustace's portal which is set up in a shed a fairly long jaunt outside of town. Once there has been some time to get established, Misa will be setting up another portal leading straight to the prison where Vaeka is being stored.

Are the Kenoma permitted by the Regent to kill other Godsblood citizens?
Though the Kenoma are authorized to kill any Bloodites that try to physically fight them, they are expected to keep things clean. The Regent prefers to only punish the guilty, and having the lines be clear will create less of a hassle in the future. Generally, Godsblood is not in a state where physical resistance is likely to happen unprovoked.

Comments

[baltimores]

You did attack them.

[ Like... come on, dude. He knows he's hit Rand in the head hard a couple of times now, but surely that much still had to be obvious to him.

Amos is able to sit up a little straighter, using the wall for support, a little less helpless now. Bit by bit, he's gonna get back there. ]

The Regent's fair. It's not like they go after people for no reason. You attack them, they defend themselves. You rebel against them, they remind you not to. You disobey them, they tell you where you went wrong, and then you get to try again. [ That last one was firsthand experience; he knows what he's talking about. ] None of it's a bad thing. You only get smacked down if you really fuck up.

[ Which is kinda what the Pleroma are doing. Really fucking this up for everyone else. Not like anything had been going wrong before then.

He shifts a little, brings his right hand to rest in his lap. Better there than on the floor if he isn't about to pull himself back up any time soon. ]

I mean, this is my fault. I wasn't able to bring you back with me the first time. So we're fixing that now. I'm hoping the Regent will help you when we get back to Achamoth, get the Kenoma in you. Then you can get a second chance to do the right thing.

[ That's all anyone should want, right? ]

[dragonmount]

[ it's tempting to point out that the regent hadn't exactly been friendly even before rand's attack. they'd been cruel, provoking, promising the deaths of civilians for the sole crime of not wanting to live under their thumb. the regent had destroyed their worlds. nothing about them seemed fair. amos's description hardly makes them seem better.

but all of that gets pushed out of his mind by the next thing amos says. he's been still — he's had little choice but to be still — for most of their conversation, but he stirs now. disbelief sits heavy on his face, in his voice. ]

That's why you've had it out for me? [ which might be an overstatement, but amos has undeniably taken a personal interest in him. ] You think whatever's happened to me in Horos is because Moiraine stopped you from taking me back then?

[baltimores]

[ Any disbelief in Rand's expression is mirrored by a flicker of bewilderment in Amos'. ]

I dunno if I'd say I have it out for you. [ That's... weirdly personal. But he can concede the colloquialism; not like he's never talked like that. ] But sure. Yeah. If she hadn't shown up, things would've gone the way they're supposed to. You wouldn't be in here, busted up and half-stone; you'd have been out there with me, making sure this goes through [ the execution; a minor detail ] and hunting down those trying to stop the Regent instead of being one of them.

[ It's just... disappointing, but he knows all the blame lies with him. He's not gonna shy away from that. Wouldn't do either of them any good.

Especially when they're on the verge of fixing it. ]

[dragonmount]

[ if there's a stretch of silence before he answers,

it's probably because one part of him wonders just how hard amos hit him. in a night of surreality, this admission feels straight out of a fever dream.

it's probably also because another part of him wonders if there's any point to telling amos, again, that he would never support the regent. things are less abstract now; it's not just good and evil, it's the idea that rand would willingly be part of this execution or the destruction of the pleroma, of these worlds.

finally, ]

And that's what you want?

[ rand with the kenoma. rand working alongside amos in jobs like these. ]

[baltimores]

Yeah.

[ He just said—

Any exhaustion or exasperation he feels at having to explain himself yet again quickly fades, replaced with conviction. Amos can feel his body starting to get used to the idea of actually resting, but this is more important right now. ]

You thought you were supposed to stop your world from ending, right? That was one of the first things you ever said to me. You're, what... twenty? When I was that age I was apprenticing and figuring out far I could stretch a dollar into getting some decent booze, and you're out here thinking you gotta save the world. Christ, I didn't have a normal childhood, so how the fuck did I end up healthier than you at that age?

[ It's almost offensive, but he's offended on Rand's behalf. Like what went so completely sideways in Rand's life that Amos could be better emotionally adjusted. Amos. ]

I know you think you were born to defeat evil and whatever, but shit, how's that supposed to fall on you? That's what we're doing. It's a team effort. You don't want to be part of that team?

[ I want you to be part of that team. I want everyone I've met, I've liked, who fucked up and went to the other side like you did to be on it. That's what's best for everyone, you included. I owe you that much. ]

[dragonmount]

[ amos please give him a minute, this is a weird turn of events and he's dealing with some head wounds.

and the truth is, he'd forgotten everything he'd said at the martyr shrine. that immediate horror as he woke from dreaming the end of the world, the admissions he'd made while only half-aware he wasn't alone. before it even occurred to him that amos might be anything but some kind stranger. he's tried so hard to keep his life before horos under wraps, and what an exercise in futility that's been. it becomes clearer to him by the minute.

see, and because amos was there at the martyr shrine, the reaction rand has now might not be surprising. it's not the first time amos is seeing this. rand had been baffled, but the longer amos goes on, the more offended he is, the more rand shuts down. this isn't the earlier blank shock; this is a wall slamming up. his expression cools, shutters, and he clenches his jaw hard enough that it may be clear — or become clear the longer he goes without answering — that he isn't interested in discussing this. ]

[baltimores]

[ He knows what it's like when a wall goes up, too; he also knows he isn't going to bring Rand's down. That usually takes time and, more importantly, a sense of camaraderie. At the moment, they don't have either.

Amos sighs, letting his head drop. It feels heavy from exhaustion and a lingering burning pain that's not gonna go away anytime soon. Pain that's Rand's fault; pain that he'll forgive him for once everything's set straight. ]

Yeah, alright.

[ With a soft grunt he pulls himself up. He feels slightly unsteady on his feet, but that's probably a good thing; means he finally is ready to get some actual rest. It's not gonna be an easy one, but at least it'll be something — and it won't be on the floor of a cell while partially encased in stone.

Still, Amos takes a moment to look back down at Rand. When he speaks, it could be construed as encouraging. Kind. ]

Look, shit's gonna suck for a few more days. But when we get this over with, and you come back to Achamoth and get settled in, things'll be better. I know you don't get it now, but just give it a few days.

[ He really does believe that. In the chance that the Regent sees fit to do something else with Rand... well, either the end result will be something good, or. There are things worse than death.

His limbs feel heavy as he exits the cell, closes the door, locks it again. If Rand's got nothing left to say, then he's got a bed to get to. ]